Dirigible-headlight-operating mechanism.



E. C SWTH.

mmsmu: HEADLIGHT OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-29.1915- A j i aiiemedi May 8, 917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

WITNESSES: l/VVE/VTOR fbe'fii C. 5/W/7/7,

(Bl W A TTOH/VEVS E. 0. SMITH. DIRI G|BLE HEADLIGHT OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DEC-29.1915.

1 2%,5 1 6., Patentedl May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVE/VTOR A TTOR/VEY8 EDGAR CHRISTIAN SMITH, OF FALLON', NEVADA.

DmIGIBLE HEADLIGHT-OPERATING' MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 191?.

Application filed December 29, 1915. Serial No. 69,177.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDGAR C. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fallon, in the county of Churchill and State of Nevada,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dirigible- Headlight-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide .an improved mechanism for operating the head-lights of motor vehicles whereby they, may follow the curves and turns in the road in illuminating the same, incorporating means whereby the head-light operating mechanism may be thrown into and out of operation at will.

Another object resides in the provision of an operating mechanism coupled with the steering gear and movable into and out of operable relation therewith, in order that if desired the light may be kept stationary while the vehicle is traveling.

Afurther object of the invention is to pro vide an improved device of the class described which will be extremely simple, durable, efiicient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view which Will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures, of which u Figure 1 represents a view taken partially in section longitudinally through a steering device for head-lights constructed according to my invention, the view being taken on the plane indicated by the line l-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 represents a top view thereof.

Fig. 3 represents a detail longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken through the device showing the method whereby the headlight control means may be thrown into and out of gear with the steering device. g

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary detail view in elevation of the foot pedal and adjacent parts for operating the clutch means between the steering device and the light operating device.

Fig. 5' represents a view in elevation of a modified type of the device.

Fig. 6 represents a view similar to Fig. 5 of another form thereof.

Fig. 7 represents a plan view showing the connecting means between the rod for operating the lights and one of the latter.

Fig. 8 represents a fragmentary view in perspective of the guide bracket for the device shown in Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that I have arranged a multiple segment gear 5 upon the steeringarm shaft 6, one segment 7 of which gear meshes with a pinion 8 carried by the steering post 9, and the other segment 10 of the gear being arranged to coact with a pinion 11 fixed upon a stub shaft 12. The radii of segments 7 and 10 are of difierent lengths, the ratio being such that the proper amount of rotation will be imparted to stub shaft 12 for turning the lights, which are controlled through the operation of said shaft, to the proper angles. The shaft 12 slidably' extends into the hollow rear end of a rod 13, and is provided with a cross pin 14 riding within longitudinal slots 15 provided in said rod. A- coiled spring 16 arranged in the rod beneath shaft 12 normally maintains the latter in outwardly extended position, keeping the pin 14 at the rear ends of slot 15. This spring normally maintains the pinion 11 in mesh with the gear segment 10. The forward end of rod 13 carries a pinion 17 which meshes with a pinion 18 of like size carried at the lower end of a standard 19 revolubly mounted in a bracket 20. The bracket may be secured to the side bar of the frame "of the vehicle,

or to some other sgitable element. The bracket 20 may serve as means for journaling the forward end of rod 13. An arm 21 fixed on standard 19 and extending. rearwardly therefrom, connects by means of a reach rod 22 with a similar arm 23 carried by a bracket supported standard 24 to which the opposite head-light is attached. A threaded buckle 25 carried by arm 23 receives the threaded outer end of reach rod 22, so that correct adjustment .to vehicles of various widths may be made. While the pinion 11 is engaging the'gear segment 10. any movement of the steering post in guiding the vehicle will be imparted to the proper degree to the headlights for moving them into such angular relation with the vehicle as to properly illuminate the roadway ahead.

The rear end of rod 13 is journaled in a bracket 26 secured to one side bar of the vehicle frame, said rod being equipped with a collar 27 which bears against the bracket and which serves to prevent'longitudinal movement ofthe rod. A grooved collar 28 is arranged on stub shaft 12 rearwardly of bevel gearll, and a forked arm 30 on a threaded portion31 of rod 32, engages in said grooved collar. The forward end of rod 32 extends through an opening in the reduced outer end 33 of bracket 26, and the inner end or rear end of the rod pivotally connects at 34 with one arm of a bell crank 35. The bell crank is pivotally supported in a bracket 36 carried by the floor of the vehicle, and the other arm of the crank pivotally connects with a foot pedal 37 extending through an opening in the vehicle floor. ',The pedal is provided with a notch 38 within which a tooth 39 formed at one edge of the opening through which the pedal extends, is adapted to engage when the pedal'is depressed, a spring 40 operating to maintain the pedal in engagement with the tooth. When the pedal is depressed into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the gear 11 will be shifted out of engagement with the gear segment 10, against the tension of spring 16, in order that movements of the steering post will not affect the head-lights and thus the latter will remain stationary irrespective of the movements of the vehicle, until the foot pedal is released, at which time the spring 16 will again shift the pinion 11 into mesh with the gear segment 10. Thebracket 36 together with the spring 40 may be carried by a plate 41 which may be set in the floor, said plate being provided with the opening through which the pedal 37 extends.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the multiple segment gear and the clutch pinion 11 are not used. The rod 13, is, however,

connected by means of a universal joint 42 with the steering post 9, whereby motion from the post will be transmitted to the lights in order to turn the latter with the Wheels. In this arrangement a larger segmental gear '18 takes the place of gear 18, the ratio between said gear 18 and its cooperating gear 17 being such that the lights will be turned through the proper angles as the steering wheels are turned.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have illustrated another form which the invention may take. This modification of the device employs a bracket consisting of a plate 43 having one end overturned and bent into parallel rela- 29 adjustably positioned by means of nuts tion with the plate as at 44, the end 44 being suitably bolted or otherwise secured to the steering arm of the vehicle. Plate 43 is provided longitudinally with a slot 45 whose inner end alines with the shaft on which the steering arm turns.' The rod 13 in this instance, has its rear end bifurcated at 46, the forks of the bifurcation straddling plate 43 and carrying a pin 47 which extrolled bya spring 40 in the manner already described with reference to the pedal shown in Fig. 4. The forwardend'of rod 13 has a ball and socket connection 54 with a laterally extending arm 55 carried by one of the light standards. This standard is connected with the opposite standard through the medium of the reach rod and arms 21 and 23 already described. The foot pedal 37 may be operated whereby to shift the rear end of the rod 13 into or out of alinement with the pivot on which the steering arm rocks When the rod is out of alinement with the pivot, it will be understood that the throw of the bracket 43, which rocks with the steering arm, will operate through the medium'of rod 13 and arm 55 to actuate the headlights for moving them to the proper angle relatively to the vehicle si'multaneously with the movements of the front wheels in guiding the vehicle. When, however, the pedal has been depressed for moving the rear end'of the rod 13 to the inner terminal of slot 45, at which point it is in alinement with the point upon which the steering arm reciprocates,

the movement of said arm will not affect the rod, and therefore the lights will remain stationary.

.-Any of the devices shown may be applied to vehicles having their steering apparatus arranged on the right hand side, without making any material changes in the construction and operation of the light operating mechanisms;

Although I have described certain preferred forms which the invention may take,

I may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts thereof, as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. 7

I claim 1. The combination with a vehicle having a steering apparatus, of movable head lights coupled together, a rod, connecting means between the rod and one of the lights whereby motion imparted longitudinally to the rod will be imparted to the light for shifting the latter, a bracket connected with the mid described steering arm of the steering apparatus, said bracket being provided with a slot which registers at its inner end with the pivotal point upon which the arm reciprocates, a pin carried by one end of said rod and extending through said slot, a pivoted .lever, foot operable means for actuating the latter, and connecting means between said lever and rod whereby the pin may be moved through the slot into or out of alinement with the pivotal point upon which said arm reciprocates.

2. The combination with a vehicle having a steering apparatus, of movable headlights, means connecting the head-lights whereby they will move in unison, a rod, connecting means between the rod and one of the lights whereby longitudinal movement of the rod will shift the lights, a bracket connected with the steering arm of a steering apparatus, a pin and slot connection between the rod and bracket having an inner terminal alined with the pivotal point upon which the arm reciprocates, a lever having a connection with the rod whereby the latter may be shifted along the bracket when the lever is actuated, and means whereby the lever 'may be actuated at will.

3. The combination with a vehicle having a steering apparatus, of movable headlights coupled together, a rod connected with one of the lights, whereby motion imparted to the rod will be imparted to the light for shifting the latter, a pin and slot connection between the rod and the steering arm of the steering apparatus, allowing movement of the rod toward and away from the pivotal point of the steering arm and adapted to actuate the rod when the latter is out of alinement with the pivotalpoint of the steering arm, and means operable at will whereby said rodmay be shifted toward and away from the pivotal point of the steering arm.

4. The combination with movable head lights coupled together for operating in unison, and the steering apparatus, of a bracket connected with a portion of the steering apparatus provided to turn about a pivotal point, a rod connecting the bracket with one of the lights, a pin and slot connection between the rod and bracket having an inner terminal coinciding with the pivotal point of the bracket, and means for shifting the rod at will whereby its point of connection with the bracket may be moved toward and away from the pivotal point of the bracket.

EDGAR CHRISTIAN SMITH. Witnesses:

FRED A. NELSON, CHAS. E. HOWARD. 

